IonQ Signs MoU with KISTI to Accelerate South Korea’s Role in the Global Quantum Race

Estimated reading time: 2 minutes

IonQ, a leading commercial quantum computing and networking company, today announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Korea Institute of Science and Technology Information (KISTI), a leading national science and technology research institute and supercomputing center. The memorandum marks a significant expansion of IonQ’s long standing relationship with South Korea’s government, academic and industry sectors, aligning efforts intended to accelerate the national development of quantum science and industry.

Under the terms of the MoU, IonQ and KISTI will collaborate in four key areas: advanced infrastructure access, education, talent and knowledge exchange as well as collaboration to expand market opportunities. The two organizations will work together with the intent to introduce quantum systems into KISTI and plan to integrate these systems with KISTI’s high-performance computing (HPC) infrastructure.

IonQ and KISTI also plan to collaborate on joint initiatives for talent upskilling including internships and training programs to strengthen the quantum computing research community in South Korea.

“South Korea has been a vital partner in the advancement of quantum computing, and we’re proud to deepen our collaboration with KISTI as we expand our footprint in South Korea,” said Niccolo de Masi, CEO of IonQ. “This memorandum reflects a strategic alignment between public sector science policy leadership and private sector innovators to unlock real-world quantum applications, foster local talent, and position the region as a global force in the quantum economy.”

"Despite the infinite potential of quantum computing and the growing global interest, Korean companies and researchers still face a significant lack of infrastructure for actual research,” said Dr. Sik Lee, President of KISTI. “As a leading institution in supercomputing, KISTI has long supported Korean researchers with world-class supercomputing services. Now, we plan to pioneer a new frontier by offering hybrid services that leverage quantum computing, further supporting Korea’s industry and research community. We are very pleased to collaborate with IonQ, the world’s leading quantum computing and networking company, on this highly ambitious journey."

This announcement builds on an existing collaboration between IonQ and KISTI, including past initiatives supporting quantum research in both the U.S. and South Korea. As IonQ continues its global expansion, South Korea remains a critical partner in advancing quantum innovation. IonQ has also signed recent MoUs with SK Telecom, Busan Metropolitan City, Intellian Technologies, and has ongoing partnerships with Seoul National University and Sungkyunkwan University. In addition to these partnerships, IonQ has invested in local education and innovation initiatives such as executive training seminars, hackathons, and the sponsorship of the Quantum Korea conference.

This latest collaboration with KISTI is intended to support the next phase of South Korea’s national quantum strategy, with a focus on accessibility, workforce readiness, and research leadership. The partnership also aligns with South Korea’s National Quantum Science and Technology Strategy, which aims to position the country among the world’s top quantum economies by 2035.